206 WILD NATURE'S WAYS. 



popularly supposed to be governed by mono- 

 tonously rigid laws of instinct. 



Not one of the four individuals I had under 

 observation showed any disposition to give winged 

 insects the slightest quarter. If the outermost 



MALE YELLOW WAGTAIL. 



victim in a row held between the mandibles 

 managed to wriggle itself free, and fell into the 

 grass below, it was instantly followed and re- 

 covered. If a fly of any size passed incautiously 

 overhead it was pursued and invariably caught 

 by a dexterous vertical flutter. 



Although the black-headed gull is a gregarious 



